Weeks before the Lok Sabha polls, public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati began its news agency-like service to offer content to registered news outlets including newspapers, magazines, TV channels, digital outlets and “even social media news channels”, Indian Express reported. 

The content on PB-SHABD or Prasar Bharati-Shared Audio Visuals for Broadcast and Dissemination, uploaded by over 1,500 reporters and stringers in different formats, will be free of copyright or credit obligations.

The content will be available on the websites of DD News and Akashvani News and the News on Air mobile app for outlets registered with the I&B ministry.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, who launched the service on Wednesday, said the “accurate and meaningful” content will be free for a year as an “introductory offer”. It will include images, videos, news feed, audio and text in all major Indian languages. 

“This will revolutionise the news industry and will massively support smaller news organisations that do not have access to an extensive network for content gathering,” The Hindu quoted him as saying.

Newslaundry had earlier reported that Prasar Bharati has signed an exclusive two-year contract with the Hindusthan Samachar, a news agency established on the ideology of Sangh. Read here.